IO-Link Device

ABSTRACT

An IO-link device ( 20 ) configured as slave for transmitting/receiving signal data with a master module ( 19 ), the IO-link device comprising: a sensor or actuator ( 11 ) configured to produce output measurement signals; a first microcontroller ( 21 ) operatively coupled to the sensor or actuator and configured to receive the measurement signals and generate data based on the measurement signals, and a transceiving module ( 22 ) which comprises a physical layer transceiver ( 24 ) configured to receive/transmit signal data from/to the master module ( 19 ), and a second microcontroller ( 23 ) operatively coupled and in bi-directional communication with the transceiver, wherein the transceiver ( 24 ) is configured to receive signal data associated with a request from the master module ( 19 ) and transmit signal data associated with the request to the second microcontroller ( 23 ) and the second microcontroller ( 23 ) is configured to receive the signal data from the transceiver and to execute a device IO-Link protocol stack, the second microcontroller being operatively coupled and in bi-directional communication with the first microcontroller ( 21 ) for the transmission of signal data associated with the request to the first microcontroller and to receive data based on measurement signals from the first controller.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to International Application No.PCT/IB2018/060642, filed on Dec. 27, 2018, which claims priority toItalian Application No. 102017000151097, filed on Dec. 29, 2017, whichare herein incorporated by reference.

SUMMARY

According to the present invention, an IO-Link device is provided whichis configured as slave for transmitting/receiving signal data with amaster module, the IO-link device comprising:

-   -   a sensor or actuator configured to output measurement signals;    -   a first microcontroller operatively coupled to the sensor or        actuator and configured to receive the measurement signals and        to generate data based on the measurement signals, and    -   a transceiving module comprising a physical layer transceiver        configured to receive/transmit signal data from/to the master        module,    -   the device comprising a second microcontroller operatively        coupled to, and in bidirectional communication with, the        physical layer transceiver, wherein the physical layer        transceiver is configured to receive signal data associated with        a request from the master module and transmit signal data        associated with the request to the second microcontroller, and    -   the second microcontroller is configured to receive the signal        data from the physical layer transceiver and to execute a device        IO-Link protocol stack, the second microcontroller being        operatively coupled to, and in bidirectional communication with,        the first microcontroller for the transmission of the signal        data associated with the request to the first microcontroller        and for the reception of data based on the measurement signals        from the first controller in response to the signal data        associated with the request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of an IO-Link device in accordancewith the state of the art;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an IO-Link system in which the slave deviceof FIG. 1 is connected to an IO-Link master;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an IO-Link device according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the IO-Link device of FIG. 3, in whichcertain elements of the transceiving module are indicated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an IO-Link device configured as slavefor bidirectional communication with an IO-Link master module.

The automatic monitoring and control of industrial processes is becomingincreasingly important for the optimization and configurability ofprocesses. A common connection of monitoring and/or control devices,such as sensors and actuators, with a central control unit is thatincluding a three-conductors cable and/or M8, M12 or M5 connectors.

In recent years, IO-Link® technology for communication with sensors andactuators has spread, offering advanced diagnostics while allowing theuse of common cabling in industrial automation systems. In particular,the IO-Link is an I/O (input/output) technology defined by aninternational standard (IEC 61131-9), which enables serial,bidirectional point-to-point communication from/to sensors andactuators. Since the IO-link is implemented below the fieldbus level, itis possible to work with common control systems. An IO-Link systemtypically comprises a plurality of IO-Link devices (sensors, RFIDreaders, motor actuators, etc.) that communicate with a master module,i.e. the IO-Link master, which is essentially a gateway acting as acommon interface for the control system using fieldbuses in aconfiguration in which the IO-Link devices act as I/O bus nodes. Themaster module communicates with the devices, configured as “slaves”, intwo modes: a standard I/O mode (SIO mode) in which it provides thesupply voltage and an IO-Link mode of bidirectional data communicationfor parameterization and diagnostics.

Patent US 2015/0143009 concerns the use of an IO link to connect a fielddevice, such as frequency converters, image recognition systems andpower supply units, to a master group.

Patent US 2016/0275045 relates to a sensor system to configure theoperating margins of a sensor component. In one embodiment, theoperating margins generated by the sensor component are received by aphysical IO-Link interface.

Patent EP 2161592 describes an optoelectronic sensor provided with apower supply monitoring unit that analyses the supply voltage bycomparing it with a reference voltage. A microcontroller determineswhether a supply voltage is available as a function of the state of thesensor.

The communication protocol software between master and devices istypically implemented in the microcontroller of the IO-Link master, i.e.protocol stack on the master side, and on the microcontroller of eachdevice, i.e. protocol stack on the device side. The microcontroller ofthe device executes the IO-Link stack for the transmission of data thatcan be cyclic (e.g. process, status and speed data) or acyclic (e.g.diagnostic data, configuration parameters and error messages), inresponse to requests from the master.

An IO-Link device using IO-link mini-stack software has been publishedby HMT Microelectronics AG athttp://www.hmt.ch/hmt-webseite/uploadfiles/d90235d/da2d33e8-e49a-4bdc-8b44-a8234c8daae5.pdf(download of Dec. 12, 2017).

In the following description and in the subsequent claims, the term“protocol stack” or “stack” is used to indicate the softwareimplementation of the IO-Link communication protocol. The term“device-side stack” refers to the software implementation of the IO-linkprotocol for the device.

Typically, the device-side IO-Link stack complies with the IO-Link v.1.1specifications defined by the IO-Link consortium, whose version 1.1.2 isdescribed in the specification “IO-Link Interface and System”, Version1.1.2 July athttp://www.io-link.com/share/Downloads/Spec-Interface/IOL-Interface-Spec_10002_V112_Jul13.pdf(download data of Dec. 12, 2017). Page 151 of the document presents ablock diagram of the structure and services of an IO-Link device and inparticular of the device-side protocol stack. The device-sidecommunication protocol enables synchronous and asynchronous dataexchange with the master, and can provide certain features which areavailable in most IO-Link sensors on the market, such as:

-   -   Smart Sensor Profile, which allows a standardization of the use        of the IO-Link for the sensors in order to facilitate the        replacement of the sensors in the IO-link system without the        need to modify the firmware/software on the PLC or master side.        The specifications of version 1.0 of March 2017 are described in        “IO-Link Smart Sensor Profile 2nd Edition”, available at the        address        http://www.io-link.com/share/Downloads/Smart-Sensor-Profile/IOL-Smart-Sensor-Profile-2ndEd_V10_Mar2017.pdf        (download of Dec. 12, 2017).    -   ISDU (Indexed Service Data Unit) for the asynchronous exchange        of parameters;    -   Data Storage, which makes it possible to automatically save the        device parameters on the master storage server and to modify,        rewrite or restore the parameters in the device, and    -   Block Parameterization, which allows to transmit a parameter set        from a PLC program to the device.

In addition to the microcontroller, the IO-Link device comprises atransceiver, which acts as a physical layer for the microcontroller, thelatter, as mentioned above, being configured to execute the protocol.The transceiver can be implemented with a circuit configurable as PNPand NPN or push-pull transistors selectable via external pins.

The sensors can be analog or binary. Binary sensors are often preferredin bus architectures because they eliminate the need for additionalprocess steps for the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversionof signals. In SIO mode, the binary sensors have two states and theoutput drivers are typically 24 V drivers, on=24 V and off=GND,optimized for the industrial sector.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a common hardware architecture of an IO-Linkdevice. The IO-link device 10 comprises a sensor 11 configured to detecta physical quantity or an actuator configured to control a drivemechanism, for example to control the opening/closing of a valve. Forexample, the sensor is a photodiode, an inductive proximity sensor or adistance sensor. The device 10 comprises a microcontroller 12, whichinterfaces with the sensor/actuator 11 and executes the IO-Link protocolstack on the device side, and a transceiver 13, which implements theIO-Link digital interface and acts as a physical layer for communicationwith the master module.

The device-side IO-Link stack is executed on the microcontroller 12 andcommunicates with a three-conductors cable 14 (L⁺, L⁻ and C/Q) using thephysical layer interface 13, typically an SDCI connection system basedon the specifications of standard IEC 60947-5-2, e.g. a UART interfacewith three output pins. The transceiver 13 implements the UART interfacefor point-to-point communication via the three-conductors cable. In FIG.1, a first and a second input/output pin 15, 16 of the transceiver 13are connected to respective L⁺ (24 V) and L⁻ (ground) cable conductorsfor the power supply. A third input/output pin 17 is connected to theC/Q conductor for the switching signal (Q), i.e. the SIO interface, orthe IO-Link communication (C). For example, the transceiver is acommercial output driver MAX14821, HMT7742, or L6360.

The transceiver 13 is connected via hardware, typically via an SPI/I2Cconnection, to the microcontroller 12 and sends and receives datasignals to/from the microcontroller. The microcontroller typicallycomprises a non-volatile memory, e.g. a ROM 18, on which the device-sideprotocol stack is implemented, which is integrated with the applicationof the microcontroller which manages the sensor/actuator function (e.g.the optical detection function in the case of a photodiode). Themicrocontroller can further comprise an analog-to-digital converter forthe conversion of the analog signals received by the sensor/actuatorcomponent 11, when the sensor output signals 11 are analog.

A protection circuit (not shown) of the internal components at thetransceiver output can be provided. A transceiver for an IO-link deviceequipped with a protection circuit is described in Patent US2015/0003503.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an IO-Link system which comprises the “slave”device 10, generally a plurality of slave devices, connected to a mastermodule 19 via the cable 14. In an IO-Link system based on point-to-pointtopology, the master module has multiple ports and each device isconnected to a respective port via a cable.

Commonly, the main components of an IO-Link device are two hardwarecomponents, i.e. the microcontroller chip and the transceiver chip, andtwo software components, i.e. the device-side protocol stack and thedevice application which implements the typical functionalities of asensor/actuator, e.g. peripheral initialization, processing algorithmsof data coming from the sensor/actuator and buttons/trimmer management.

Typically, manufacturers of the master module and devices with anIO-Link interface require a third party to create the stack softwareconforming to the specifications defined by the IO-Link standard. Inparticular, a sensor or actuator manufacturer that wants to equip itsdevices with IO-Link communication for use in industrial automation,purchases a device-side IO-Link protocol stack which is adapted to themicrocontroller of the device from a software development company toinstall it in the microcontroller, integrating it in the application ofthe device. Once the protocol stack is installed and after havingconnected the microcontroller with an IO-link transceiver at thehardware level, compliance with the IO-Link specifications requirestesting on the physical layer, as defined for example by the “IO-LinkTest” published on the Internet at the pagehttp://www.io-link.com/shar/Downloads/Testspec/IOL-Test-Spec_10032_V112_Jul14.pdf(download of Dec. 12, 2017).

In addition to the significant cost of purchasing the protocol stack,the costs of integrating the stack in the device application must beconsidered.

The Applicant has noted that once the IO-Link stack has been purchasedfor a specific microcontroller platform, if a microcontroller other thanthe one for which the protocol stack was purchased is desired, forexample, a purchaser wants to switch from an 8-bit microcontroller to a32-bit one, or wants to purchase a microcontroller from a differentmanufacturer (even without any variation of the processing capacity), aporting of the protocol stack code must be carried out, with consequentsoftware development costs and longer time-frames for productdevelopment.

The Applicant has noted that it would be advantageous to have an IO-Linkdevice available that is easily reconfigurable at a lower softwaredevelopment cost.

According to the present invention, an IO-Link device is provided whichis configured as slave for transmitting/receiving signal data with amaster module, the IO-link device comprising:

-   -   a sensor or actuator configured to output measurement signals;    -   a first microcontroller operatively coupled to the sensor or        actuator and configured to receive the measurement signals and        to generate data based on the measurement signals, and    -   a transceiving module comprising a physical layer transceiver        configured to receive/transmit signal data from/to the master        module,

the device comprising a second microcontroller operatively coupled to,and in bidirectional communication with, the physical layer transceiver,wherein the physical layer transceiver is configured to receive signaldata associated with a request from the master module and transmitsignal data associated with the request to the second microcontroller,and

the second microcontroller is configured to receive the signal data fromthe physical layer transceiver and to execute a device IO-Link protocolstack, the second microcontroller being operatively coupled to, and inbidirectional communication with, the first microcontroller for thetransmission of the signal data associated with the request to the firstmicrocontroller and for the reception of data based on the measurementsignals from the first controller in response to the signal dataassociated with the request.

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, thetransceiving module is implemented with an integrated circuit in asingle chip. In particular, the second microcontroller and the physicallayer transceiver are arranged on the same physical chip.

Preferably, the first microcontroller of the IO-Link device is off-chipwith respect to the transceiving module chip.

Preferably, the chip on which the first microcontroller is implementedlacks a device-side IO-Link protocol stack.

The physical layer transceiver can comprise three input/output pinsconnectable to respective conductors of a cable, two of the input/outputpins to receive electric power supply and a third input/output pin toreceive/transmit signal data.

The second microcontroller can be coupled to the first microcontrollerthrough a respective physical layer interface, the physical layerinterface of the second microcontroller with the first microcontrolleris a master serial interface and the physical layer interface of thefirst microcontroller is a slave serial interface.

The second microcontroller can be coupled to the physical layertransceiver through a data bus.

The transceiving module can comprise a non-volatile memory operativelycoupled to or implemented in the second microcontroller, the IO-Linkprotocol stack being implemented in said memory. Preferably, thenon-volatile memory is implemented in the integrated circuit in thetransceiving module chip.

The physical layer transceiver can comprise an input/output interface,wherein the input/output interface is connectable to a three-conductorscable for the connection with a master module.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willappear more clearly from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof, made purely for exemplary, non-limitingpurposes, with reference to the appended drawings. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of an IO-Link device in accordancewith the state of the art;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an IO-Link system in which the slave deviceof FIG. 1 is connected to an IO-Link master;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an IO-Link device according to anembodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the IO-Link device of FIG. 3, in whichcertain elements of the transceiving module are indicated.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the hardware architecture of an IO-Linkdevice according to an embodiment of the present invention. The samenumbers correspond to elements that are the same or have similarfunctionalities to those described with reference to FIG. 1. Inparticular, reference number 11 indicates the sensor/actuator and number14 indicates the three-conductors cable for connection with a mastermodule (not shown). Preferably, the output signals from thesensor/actuator are digital signals. Without limiting the presentinvention, for the sake of brevity, reference will be made to a sensor11 in the following detailed description. The IO-link device 20comprises a first microcontroller 21 operatively coupled to the sensor11 for receiving and transmitting signals from/to the sensor.

The first microcontroller 21 is configured to generate data based on thesignals received by the sensor and to transmit data in response to anexternal request, preferably in a “slave” mode. The external requestoriginates from the IO-Link master which transmits it to the device.

Typically, in IO-Link communication, the communication between theIO-Link master module and the “slave” device is always active and datais sent to the master in response to requests generated by the latter.According to the IO-Link communication protocol, the data transmitted bythe slave device can be process data (relating to measurement signals),value or speed status data, device data (parameters, identification dataand diagnostics information) and event data (alarm, error message). Thesignal data associated with a request can be a “wake-up” message of thedevice, requests for writing/reading parameters, a diagnostic message orrequests for status changes (for example, disabling the pressure of abutton or controlling the illumination of a LED that acts as a pointer).The transferred signal data can be transmitted cyclically (process,status and speed data), i.e. it is automatically transmitted as a resultof requests generated on a regular basis or acyclically (device or eventdata), which is transmitted on the master's request. In the following,“signal data” is used to indicate the data input/output to/from theIO-Link device, regardless of its type.

The device 20 comprises a transceiving module 22 operatively coupled tothe first microcontroller 21 for the bidirectional communication betweenthe module 22 and the first microcontroller 21 external thereto. FIG. 4shows a diagram of the device 20 of FIG. 3, in which certain details ofthe transceiving module 22 are shown. The cable representation has beenomitted, symbolically indicating the connection with the IO-Link mastermodule 19 with an arrow 28. Similarly, the sensor is only indicated witha block 11.

The transceiving module 22 comprises a second microcontroller 23 and atransceiver 24 which acts as a physical layer for receiving andtransmitting signal data with the master module 19. The physical layertransceiver 24 comprises a reception/transmission circuit (R_(x)T_(x))32 and an input/output interface 27 (of the IO-Link device). Thebidirectional communication of the IO-Link device 20 with the mastermodule 19 takes place via the input/output interface 27. Preferably, theinterface 27 is a UART interface (Universal Asynchronous ReceiverTransmitter), which is implemented in the hardware of the transceivingmodule, in particular in the physical layer of the transceiver. In thisexample, the messages received and sent to the master module are codedin bytes according to the UART protocol. The output interface 27 of thedevice 20 can be connected to a cable 14 with three L⁺ and L⁻ and C/Qconductors for connection with the master module. The transceiver 24, inparticular its input/output interface 27, comprises three input/outputpins: a first and a second pin, connected respectively to the conductors15 and 16 of the electric power supply cable and a third pin, connectedto the conductor 17 for receiving/transmitting signal data, e.g. signaldata associated with a request and signal data in response to therequest.

The second microcontroller 23 is configured to execute a device-sideIO-Link protocol stack and to handle requests from the master modulethrough the transceiver 24. The second microcontroller 23 is operativelycoupled with the transceiver 24 and in bidirectional communicationthrough a data bus 26 to which, in the usual ways, transmission means,e.g. conductive cables, are conceptually indicated with double arrows33. In the present embodiment, the physical layer of the transceivingmodule 22 for communication with the master module is implemented by thetransceiver 24 (i.e. interface 27) and the data bus 26.

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, thetransceiving module 22 is implemented with an integrated circuit in asingle chip, also indicated as transceiver chip. In particular, thesecond microcontroller 23 and the transceiver 24 are arranged on thesame physical chip. In one embodiment, the transceiver chip is an ASICcircuit.

Preferably, the first microcontroller 21 is off-chip with respect to thetransceiver chip. For example, the first microcontroller 21 isimplemented with an integrated circuit in a separate chip from thetransceiver chip.

Preferably, the chip on which the first microcontroller 21 isimplemented lacks a device-side IO-Link protocol stack.

The operative coupling between the first microcontroller 21 and thetransceiving module 22 for the bidirectional communication between thetwo components is achieved by an operative coupling between the secondmicrocontroller 23 and the first microcontroller 21 through a respectivephysical layer interface 31 and 29, preferably a serial interface, e.g.SPI or I2C. The serial interface acts as a peripheral for the respectivemicrocontroller.

Preferably, in the communication between the first and secondmicrocontrollers, the second microcontroller 23 is configured as masterand the first microcontroller 21 as slave, preferably using a masterserial interface 31 and a slave serial interface 29, respectively. Inthis communication mode, the second microcontroller 23 receives signaldata associated with external requests, i.e. from the master module 19,which are received and transmitted by the transceiver 24 through theUART peripheral 27 and the data bus 26, and manages the requests byexecuting the device-side protocol stack to transmit these requests tothe first microcontroller 21.

Preferably, the second microcontroller 23 is configured, beforetransmitting a request to the first microcontroller 21 through the SPI31, to decode the signal data associated with the IO-Link request. Inone embodiment, the second microcontroller 23 decodes the IO-Linkmessages of the master module and re-encodes them (more preferably in asimplified format with respect to the IO-Link packets) for transmittingthe request to the first microcontroller 21.

For example, the master module sends a command to the secondmicrocontroller 23 in the form of a “write/read parameters” message, forexample the commands READ_REQ, READ and WRITE. The secondmicrocontroller 23 decodes the message by transforming the request intoa string of bytes that represents the encoding of the message.

The second microcontroller 23, acting as “master” for the firstmicrocontroller, sends the request to the first “slave” microcontrolleraccording to the master module command through the SPI master 31 and SPIslave 29 interfaces and awaits the response from the firstmicrocontroller.

The first microcontroller 21 responds to the requests of the secondmicrocontroller 23 by receiving the signals from the sensor 11 andproducing measurement data that can be processed by the first controller(e.g. data filtering, compensation/calibration algorithms, etc.) priorto its transmission. The signal data output from the firstmicrocontroller 21 is transmitted to the second microcontroller 23. Thesecond microcontroller 23 receives the data from the firstmicrocontroller and transmits it to the transceiver 24 through theserial bus 26 for its sending to the master module 19 through the cable14, i.e. the C/Q line.

Preferably, the second microcontroller 23 encodes the data coming fromthe first microcontroller 21 in IO-link format and sends it, e.g. inIO-link packets, to the master module 19 through the physical layertransceiver.

The device-side protocol stack is preferably implemented in anon-volatile memory (ROM) 25 (e.g. EEPROM) connected with the secondmicrocontroller 23 through the serial bus 26. The memory 25 ispreferably on-chip in the transceiving module. In the example of FIG. 4,the memory 25 is implemented in the integrated circuit of thetransceiver chip, outside the microcontroller 23. However, the presentinvention contemplates that the memory 25 is integrated in the secondmicrocontroller 23.

According to the present invention, the computational load of the“external” microcontroller (21) is low since it is limited to thecontrol functions of the sensor/actuator component and, in particular,is relieved from the protocol stack management, which is borne by themicrocontroller (23) of the transceiving module. For example, the firstmicrocontroller does not necessarily have to handle the “wake-up”requests transmitted by the IO-Link master along the C/Q line, normallya current pulse induced by the master, to start the IO-Link “slave”device. In the present solution, wake-up requests, like the otherrequests originating from the master module, are managed directly by thetransceiving module (22) and sent to the first microcontroller (21).

Since the executable software components are external to themicrocontroller that performs the sensor/actuator control functions, themanagement of the IO-link protocol is substantially decoupled from thetype of sensor/actuator of the device, thus increasing the flexibilityand configurability of the IO-Link system. In particular, the IO-Linkprotocol stack can be used in different applications, simplyupdating/implementing the firmware/software to modify its configuration,resulting in a significant reduction in software/firmware developmentcosts.

The Applicant has noted that the costs of tests on the physical IO-Linklayer are generally borne by those who purchase a commercial transceiverbecause they depend on the implementation of the protocol stack andtherefore can only be carried out after the connection has been madewith a microcontroller wherein the IO-Link stack has been implemented.Advantageously for purchasers of IO-Link devices, since the transceivingmodule contains the microcontroller on which the stack is implemented,the hardware tests on the IO-Link devices can be performed by themanufacturer of the transceiving module, before it goes on the market.

Naturally, those skilled in the art may make further modifications andvariants to the above-described invention with the purpose of meetingspecific and contingent application needs, variants and modifications inany case falling within the scope of protection as defined by thefollowing claims.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. An IO-link device configured as slave fortransmitting or receiving signal data with a master module, the IO-linkdevice comprising: a sensor or actuator configured to output measurementsignals; a first microcontroller operatively coupled to the sensor oractuator and configured to receive the measurement signals and togenerate data based on the measurement signals, and a transceivingmodule comprising a physical layer transceiver configured to receive ortransmit signal data from or to the master module, the device comprisinga second microcontroller operatively coupled to, and in bidirectionalcommunication with, the physical layer transceiver, wherein the physicallayer transceiver is configured to receive signal data associated with arequest from the master module and to transmit signal data associatedwith the request to the second microcontroller; the secondmicrocontroller is configured to receive the signal data from thephysical layer transceiver and to execute a device IO-Link protocolstack, the second microcontroller being operatively coupled to, and inbidirectional communication with, the first microcontroller for thetransmission of the signal data associated with the request to the firstmicrocontroller and for the reception of data based on the measurementsignals from the first controller in response to the signal dataassociated with the request.
 12. The IO link device of claim 11, whereinthe transceiving module is implemented with an integrated circuit in asingle chip.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein the secondmicrocontroller and the physical layer transceiver are implemented withan integrated circuit in a single chip.
 14. The device of claim 11,wherein the physical layer transceiver comprises three input/output pinsconnectable to respective conductors of a cable, two of the input/outputpins to receive electric power supply and a third input/output pin toreceive/transmit signal data.
 15. The device of claim 11, wherein thesecond microcontroller is coupled to the first microcontroller through arespective physical layer interface, the physical layer interface of thesecond microcontroller with the first microcontroller is a master serialinterface and the physical layer interface of the first microcontrolleris a slave serial interface.
 16. The device of claim 11, wherein thesecond microcontroller is coupled to the physical layer transceiverthrough a data bus.
 17. The device of claim 11, wherein the transceivingmodule comprises a non-volatile memory operatively coupled to orimplemented in the second microcontroller, the IO-Link protocol stackbeing implemented in said memory.
 18. The device according to claim 12,wherein the first microcontroller is off-chip with respect to the chipof the transceiving module.
 19. The device of claim 11, wherein thephysical layer transceiver comprises an input/output interface, whereinthe input/output interface is connectable to a three-conductors cablefor the connection with a master module.
 20. An IO-link deviceconfigured as slave for transmitting or receiving signal data with amaster module, the IO-link device comprising: a sensor or actuatorconfigured to output measurement signals; a first microcontrolleroperatively coupled to the sensor or actuator and configured to receivethe measurement signals and to generate data based on the measurementsignals, and a transceiving module comprising a physical layertransceiver configured to receive or transmit signal data from or to themaster module, wherein the transceiving module is implemented with anintegrated circuit in a single chip, the device comprising a secondmicrocontroller operatively coupled to, and in bidirectionalcommunication with, the physical layer transceiver, wherein the physicallayer transceiver is configured to receive signal data associated with arequest from the master module and to transmit signal data associatedwith the request to the second microcontroller; the secondmicrocontroller is configured to receive the signal data from thephysical layer transceiver and to execute a device IO-Link protocolstack, the second microcontroller being operatively coupled to, and inbidirectional communication with, the first microcontroller for thetransmission of the signal data associated with the request to the firstmicrocontroller and for the reception of data based on the measurementsignals from the first controller in response to the signal dataassociated with the request.
 21. The device of claim 20, wherein thesecond microcontroller and the physical layer transceiver areimplemented with an integrated circuit in a single chip.
 22. The deviceof claim 20, wherein the physical layer transceiver comprises threeinput/output pins connectable to respective conductors of a cable, twoof the input/output pins to receive electric power supply and a thirdinput/output pin to receive/transmit signal data.
 23. The device ofclaim 20, wherein the second microcontroller is coupled to the firstmicrocontroller through a respective physical layer interface, thephysical layer interface of the second microcontroller with the firstmicrocontroller is a master serial interface and the physical layerinterface of the first microcontroller is a slave serial interface. 24.The device of claim 20, wherein the second microcontroller is coupled tothe physical layer transceiver through a data bus.
 25. The device ofclaim 20, wherein the physical layer transceiver comprises aninput/output interface, wherein the input/output interface isconnectable to a three-conductors cable for the connection with a mastermodule.
 26. An IO-link device configured as slave for transmitting orreceiving signal data with a master module, the IO-link devicecomprising: a sensor or actuator configured to output measurementsignals; a first microcontroller operatively coupled to the sensor oractuator and configured to receive the measurement signals and togenerate data based on the measurement signals, and a transceivingmodule comprising a physical layer transceiver configured to receive ortransmit signal data from or to the master module, the device comprisinga second microcontroller operatively coupled to, and in bidirectionalcommunication with, the physical layer transceiver, wherein the secondmicrocontroller and the physical layer transceiver are implemented withan integrated circuit in a single chip, wherein the physical layertransceiver is configured to receive signal data associated with arequest from the master module and to transmit signal data associatedwith the request to the second microcontroller; the secondmicrocontroller is configured to receive the signal data from thephysical layer transceiver and to execute a device IO-Link protocolstack, the second microcontroller being operatively coupled to, and inbidirectional communication with, the first microcontroller for thetransmission of the signal data associated with the request to the firstmicrocontroller and for the reception of data based on the measurementsignals from the first controller in response to the signal dataassociated with the request.
 27. The IO link device of claim 26, whereinthe transceiving module is implemented with an integrated circuit in asingle chip.
 28. The device of claim 26, wherein the physical layertransceiver comprises three input/output pins connectable to respectiveconductors of a cable, two of the input/output pins to receive electricpower supply and a third input/output pin to receive/transmit signaldata.
 29. The device of claim 26, wherein the second microcontroller iscoupled to the physical layer transceiver through a data bus.
 30. Thedevice of claim 27, wherein the physical layer transceiver comprises aninput/output interface, wherein the input/output interface isconnectable to a three-conductors cable for the connection with a mastermodule.